Another Probie

Four

McGee POV

When I opened my eyes again, yawning, I saw Ziva doing the same. Boss and Tony were still asleep. Ziva saw me and got up, crossing to me, on the other side of the two sleepers. There was one chair empty next to me before a little side table, and she sat down, leaning against me.

"Why?" she asked me.

"I wish I knew, Zi, really. The best thing we can do is to wait." With that, she sat up, saying,

"You are right, I suppose." I smiled. Just then, Boss and DiNozzo started waking up, and just in time. A doctor came in to the waiting room, saying that she was surprised we stayed overnight.

"But it's good, because Captain Reynolds is starting to wake up." the doctor continued. Gibbs asked if we could go in to visit. "Ordinarily, no, but Miss Reynolds has requested that you did. She was still partially unconscious, but we take requests seriously." came the reply. We all got up, and the doctor warned us that Olivia would have all sorts of machines around her. She listed off what they'd found in surgery, but at that point I'd stopped listening.

Gibbs POV

The doctor was listing off what injuries they had found and what had caused Olivia's episode, but I zoned out, my military training taking over. I paid attention to each turn, each room number, so I could make my way out without help, even though I knew it was silly. This was a hospital, for God's sake. Oh well. Just like the nightmares, it couldn't be helped. All effects of war that would never go away.

"Here we are, Captain Reynolds's room. Do try not to be to overbearing." the doctor said, snapping me back to reality. We entered quietly. Olivia was still sleeping, but I could tell she was sleeping lightly. Sure enough, she started to stir and wake up a bit.

Ziva POV

"How are you feeling, Olivia?" I asked.

"Call me Liv." she said weakly. "And, not too hot, to be honest." she finished. I smiled wanly.

"I do believe that you are one of the toughest people alive." I said. "How long were you held?" I asked. Gibbs gave me one of his looks. Liv saw, and smiled weakly.

"It's alright, agent..." she trailed off

"Gibbs. This is Ziva David and that's Tim McGee. I think you know him." Gibbs finished, gesturing to Tony. Liv nodded.

"It's alright, agent Gibbs." she shifted, addressing me. "I'm not sure of exact length, but I think four months." At that, my breath caught. I could see Tony's and McGee's surprised faces. Gibbs, though, was stoic as ever. She was still so young.

"How old are you, exactly?" I asked.

"Twenty-five." she replied. I couldn't believe a twenty-five-year-old could survive four months of that.

"What did they do to you for those four months?" I asked quietly, not sure I wanted to know.

"They beat me, shot me once before you were there, sliced me, whipped me, and injected me with who-knows-what. There's probably more that I'm forgetting." Even Gibbs looked surprised now. I saw a tear slip down her cheek. "Thank you for finding me" she said quietly, hoarsely, her voice trembling. "Much longer and I'd have been dead." With that, she finally broke down. All the things she'd held in all came pouring out. Her walls came down and she sobbed, letting the mask of toughness, fearlessness fall away, revealing a scared, vulnerable girl, barely twenty-five.
Tony POV
Liv started to cry. Hard. All the things she'd had to keep in came out all at once. I got up and gently laid down next to her, mindful of her injuries. I felt her snuggle up close to me, her sobs slowly subsiding and then ceasing altogether.